04 走访全球科技创新摇篮
16 Being Interconnected in a Smart Nation
Chinese enterprise MCI (P) 162/03/2016
第六期 . ISSUE 6/2016
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卷首语 PRESIDENT’S NOTE
勇于拓展格局
2016年可说是总商会收获丰富的一年。在欢庆创会110周年之际，总商会也持续帮助本地商界取得成长。
这一年，商家面对国际政经局势变化带来的更多不确定性，也随着颠覆性科技的兴起而意识到本地市场规模与传统 营业方式的局限。总商会深知开拓视野与格局的重要性，因此积极帮助商家探索海外商机，同时鼓励商家了解科技发展 趋势对未来经济的影响。今年的其中一些大型海外考察活动包括了台湾物联网科技考察、于美国加州硅谷进行的电子商 务考察，以及前往缅甸进行的商机考察等。 在这一系列的活动中，我们既看到新兴经济体的深厚潜力，也看到发达国家的科技迅速发展，深刻感受到本地商界 即将面对更激烈的全球竞争。在这里，我再次鼓励商家更加积极进取，勇于探索陌生领域，与全球趋势和市场互相融合。 如此，我们才能在更多的可能性——而不是局限性中谋求发展。
走向2017，总商会也将继续协助商家走向海外，拓展新格局！
Gaining Broader Visions 2016 has been a fruitful year for the SCCCI – while celebrating its 110th anniversary, the Chamber continued with its mission of helping the local business community achieve growth. This year, more uncertainties were brought about by changes in the global political and economic landscape; limitations of the domestic market and conventional ways of doing business have also become more evident as disruptive technologies emerge. Acutely mindful of the importance of gaining exposure and broadening visions, the Chamber has spared no efforts in helping businesses explore international opportunities, and encouraging them to understand the impacts of technological trends on the future economy. Some of our major overseas missions include a Taiwan Internet-of-Things (IoT) study trip, e-Commerce study trip in Silicon Valley as well as a Myanmar trip aimed at exploring business opportunities. Throughout the series of events, we gained insights into the deep potential of emerging economies as well as far-reaching technological advancements of the developed nations; it also showed us that the local business community will be facing more intensive global competition in the days to come. Therefore, I urge our businesses to be more proactive and daring to explore unknown territories, and to keep up with global trends. This would help us to secure future opportunities instead of trying to survive within confines. As we march into 2017, the Chamber will make it a priority to help the business community expand overseas markets and broaden their horizons!
会长 Thomas Chua, SCCCI President 请到总商会网站 www.sccci.org.sg 阅读电子版《华商》。 Chinese Enterprise can be viewed online through the Chamber’s corporate website www.sccci.org.sg
编辑顾问 Editorial Advisors Thomas Chua Kee Seng Teo Siong Seng Charles Ho Nai Chuen Lim Geok Khoon
蔡其生 张松声 何乃全 林玉勤
出版统筹 Publications Supervision
谭宝锠 Tham Poh Cheong
CONTENTS
04
走访全球科技创新摇篮 总商会于10月16日至22日率团前往美 国加州的硅谷考察，探索硅谷的商业 生态系统与电子商务创新趋势。
07
另辟蹊径的生意经 家有女儿，喜欢看她们穿的漂漂亮 亮。不过喜欢穿漂亮衣服也有烦恼， 常买衣服太花钱，穿过不想再穿占空 间，送人不好意思，丢弃更可惜，这种 烦恼怎么解决？美国硅谷的一家公司 就开发了出租衣服的商业模式，让女 性穿得经济实惠。
主编 Chief Editor
梁廷昭 Leong Teng Chau 英文编辑 English Editor
胡爱兰 Fiona Hu 助理编辑 Assistant Editor
李胜保 Lee Sin Poh 撰稿 Staff WriterS
胡爱兰 Fiona Hu 李胜保 Lee Sin Poh 许彬彬 Kelvin Khaw Ping Ping 吴仕安 Woo See Ann 李依玲 Samantha Lee 行销
08
10
漫访稻米之乡 总商会于11月7日至12日组织考察团 出访缅甸仰光与曼德勒，考察当地经 济发展情况，及积极进行交流，为未 来新缅商界的合作关系铺路。
设计
马来西亚贸工部长慕斯达法莅访 马来西亚国际贸易与工业部拿督斯里 慕斯达法部长莅访总商会，针对两国 商界关注的多项课题进行交流。
Design Egg Creatives
狮城经贸
Marketing 黄兆荣 Leonardo Wong
出版 Publisher
11
新加坡中华总商会 Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry 47 Hill Street #09-00 Singapore 179365 Tel: (65) 6337 8381 Fax: (65) 6339 0605 E-mail: corporate@sccci.org.sg Website: www.sccci.org.sg
Chinese Enterprise is produced and designed by Egg Creatives Pte Ltd (Registration No. 200504905G) for Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Registration No. S61550014E). Copyright of the materials contained in this publication belongs to SCCCI. Nothing in here shall be reproduced in whole or in part without prior written consent of SCCCI and/or Egg Creatives Pte Ltd. The views expressed in Chinese Enterprise by authors and contributors are not necessarily those of SCCCI and no liabilities shall be attached thereto. All rights reserved. Editorial enquiries should be directed to the Editor, Chinese Enterprise, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 47 Hill Street #09-00 Singapore 179365. Tel: (65) 6337 8381 Fax: (65) 6339 0605 E-mail: research@sccci.org.sg. Unsolicited material will not be returned unless accompanied by a selfaddressed envelope and sufficient return postage. While every reasonable care will be taken by the Editor, no responsibility is assumed for the return of unsolicited material. MCI (P) 162/03/2016. Printed by Innotech Communication Pte Ltd (Registration No. 199604880H).
In the Lead
华商焦点
逆市稳定经济 转型提创建前程 总商会在今年5月至7月间展开的调 查显示，中小企业在逆市中并没有大 幅度削减人员，发挥了稳定经济的作 用。业者也希望政府能采取更灵活 的政策，推动企业创新。总商会期望 有更多的中小企业在经历急浪、疆场 砺炼后，能焕发、蜕变成为新一代的 智慧型强盛企业 (Smart and Mighty Enterprises)。
Corporate Strategies
13
Being interconnected in a Smart Nation The push towards being a Smart Nation is well on its way to being realised, although it may be some time yet before people, or businesses, can maximise its benefits. In tandem with the rise of another technological phenomenon – Internet of Things (IOT) - this article offers a glimpse into what IoT entails, incorporating observations from a study trip to Taiwan organised by the Chamber in June.
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Preserving wealth for the next generation Rod Lim, Owner of Lim Chee Guan Ltd, and Andy Lim, Executive Director of JL Family Office, shared their insights from their business journey and discussed a range of topics, including their personal experience in the business, succession, and the role of family office.
18
Hearty ventures through the leasttravelled path – a Yunnan story Following the inspiring footprints of a doctor, traveller, thinker and social entrepreneur, into the rural Yunnan mountains.
Focus on SMEs
20
Bringing traditional Chinese snacks to greater heights after 88 years Founded in 1928, Hock Lian Huat today not only supplies traditional Chinese snacks to 80 per cent of hawkers in Singapore, but also actively innovates its products and ventures into other business models of franchising.
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Greendot: Creating a better world with every meal With no experience in running a business or the F&B industry, what motivated two founders of Greendot to choose the path of entrepreneurship instead of succeeding their respective family businesses? The answer lies in their emphasis on serving people and hearts.
Chamber Community
25
Contributing towards Singapore’s peace and security in the workplace Fong’s Engineering & Manufacturing Pte Ltd was awarded the NS Advocate Award for Small and Medium Enterprises for their continued support to NSman employees with effective initiatives, enabling them to succeed in their work and NS commitments.
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04
华商焦点
In the Lead
走访全球科技创新摇篮
在颠覆性科技的挑战下，本地商界已逐渐意识到与时并进的重要性。10月16日至22日， 总商会蔡其生会长即率领24名会员前往加州旧金山，考察最新的科技趋势与电子商务 经营模式。团员在五天的行程中拜访了20多家电子商务和科技公司，获益匪浅。
数十年来，坐落于美国旧金山的硅谷孕育出无数世界级科技产业巨擎，日新月异的科技产品深刻影响了世界历史进程。 为了更深入了解科技步伐对未来商业趋势的影响，总商会于10月份率团前往硅谷腹地考察。 硅谷坐落在旧金山湾区南部，是加州圣塔克拉拉谷的一个诗意的别称。在二十世纪后叶，以硅为主要材料的半导体工 业在此蓬勃发展，掀开了电脑全球普及化的时代，硅谷因此得名。80年代伊始，硅谷吸引科技企业的庞大注资，同时凭藉 与世界一流学府毗邻的地理优势，荟萃了大量顶尖的科技企业与人才，孕育丰富的创新文化和创业精神，俨然成为世界科 技产业的领头重镇。
考察团参观Yelp——美国最大型的用户生活点评指南和大众点评网站之一。
华商焦点
In the Lead
05
团员参访广告代理公司R/GA，认识数码营销的创新理念。
观察团五天的参访行程与键取： 考察与学习内容： •
10月 17日
• • •
•
10月
•
18日
•
10月
• •
19日
参访企业
通过搜索引擎优化和销售策略提高在 新市场的被搜索率 探讨零售业如何能以多重管道的商业 模式捕捉流动性客户 通过社区活动及善用客户反馈带动产 品创新 了解如何建设具伸缩性与持久性的商 业模式、如何建设品牌及有效管理食 品递送服务
• • • •
Weebly Swrve Bentabrand Naturebox
善用数据推动数字化转型, 启动在线业 务的发展 鼓励在数字化的过程中碰撞出新科技 理念 延伸现有的商业模式；跨步与交易伙伴 合作，加强在同一平台的协作关系
• Optimizely • R/GA • EAT/Yelp
性能的物流管理 利用社交媒体平台创造新趋势
• • • •
Comet Labs Symphony Commerce Gantry Poshmark
华商焦点
06
In the Lead
观察团五天的参访行程与键取如下： 考察与学习内容：
10月
•
利用科技和大数据开发新的商机
•
认识谷歌的两项特别研究专案Project Tango及Android Pay
20日
•
10月 •
21日
•
• •
探讨零售业如何借助科技与购物者 进行个性化交流，及使用数据揣测 消费心态 学习开发创意，让智能科技走进日 常生活 分析电子时代的消费行为，学习创意 销售策略及善用顾客回馈提高销售 业绩 根据消费者的喜好提供更完善的产 品分析，大量减少产品的回退 探索未来电子商务，让团员以多元角 度认识未来的科技时代；认识律师 事务如何与时俱进，保持竞争力
参访企业 • Walmart Innovation Lab • Chegg • Google
• • • • •
Float Hybrid, Wingtip Sephora Neiman Marcus Target Open House Le Tote Pillsbury Law Firm
刘泰山副会长 网页测试解决方案供应商Optimizely的业务发展主管Daniel （左四））赠送总商会110周年纪念特刊《新里程 Parnes以奥巴马的美国总统竞选活动作为个案， 新篇章》予拿督斯里慕斯达法部长（右四）。 向团员解释如何识别网络 搜索过程中流量最高的登录页。
观商海
Business EYE
07
另辟蹊径 的生意经
家有女儿，喜欢看她们穿的漂漂亮亮。不过喜欢穿漂亮衣服也有烦恼，常买衣服 太费钱，穿过不想再穿压箱底占空间，送人不好意思，丢掉更可惜，这种烦恼怎么 解决？十月份，我带一批本地企业家去美国考察，在硅谷参观了十多家公司，其中 一家就把让女性以经济、实惠的方式穿漂亮当作生意经，而且做得风生水起。
买衣服变租衣服 这家公司叫Le Tote，通过互联网 平台向女性客户出租衣服，顾客只要 每月支付49美元，就可以收到Le Tote 定 期 寄 来 的 衣 服 和 配 饰。如 果 不满 意，公司还会根据顾客反馈调整下一 次的服装组合。衣服穿了一段时间想 换一批，不用清洗，直接 打包寄回公 司，新一批的服装就送到了。Le Tote 从2 012年成立至今已经累计了大量 的 数 据，包 括 不同年 龄 段 顾 客 的 喜 好、当季热卖款式、颜色、尺寸、流行 服饰搭配等，这些数据是服装生产的 重要参考资料。他们的服装有两个来 源，一是和许多服装公司合作，另外 也会根据热卖款式自行生产，创立自 己的品牌。 这个案例令人倍受启发。公司创 办人在 生 活当中发现 独 特 的市场 需 求，巧妙借助互联网平台，运用大数 据优势综合客户反馈，进而为顾客提
供更好的服务，把服装生产和市场需 求 有 效 衔 接 起 来，通 过创 新 推 动公 司快速发展。他们非常了解现代人的 生活方式，知道爱美的女生有什么烦 恼，把买衣服变成租衣服，解决了女 生的衣柜问题。穿过的衣服回收后， 公司负责清洗干净，有的继续出租， 有的捐出去。如果顾客非常喜欢某件 衣服，还能以优惠价买下来。这种经 营方式的创新基础就是互联网，直接 和客户进行沟通，改变以往的消费习 惯，顾客不再“拥有衣服”，而是以较 低的成本获得衣服的使用权，却有了 更多、更好的选择。公司网站上放了 一句话“Always have something new to wear”，总是会有新衣服穿！
设立网站，让设计师把想法放到网上 接受消费者评估，顾客通过网站参与 设计过程，定制自己喜欢的独特服装 和生活用品 。
生活用品也能定制 新技 术的价 值 是为顾客 提供更 好的服务，把科技和大数据与服装行 业结合起来是未来趋势。在这方面创 业公司Betabrand做的也很不错，他们
自2014年7月31日，总商会蔡其生会长 受邀为联合晚报《晚咖》专栏执笔。本 文首次发表于2016年11月14日《晚咖》 专栏。 《华商》经《联合晚报》的许可 转载。
听着公司负责人津津有味地介绍 新型商业模式，我心里一直在想，也许 这些商业模式在新加坡推广不一定成 功，但公司的创新精神极其值得借鉴。
华商焦点
08
In the Lead
漫访稻米之乡 总商会于11月7日至12日组织考察团出访缅甸，积极考察当地经济情况及进行交流， 为未来新缅商界的合作关系铺路。
捐赠2万新元资助仰光省贫困孩童教育 蔡其生会长率领36人考察团出访 缅甸，探索当地的商业和投资机会，同 时与缅甸政府部门、企业家、工商业团 体负责人进行交流。 考察团于11月7日抵达缅甸，缅甸 中华总商会为本会考察团举行欢迎晚 宴，并邀请仰光省总理Phyo Min Thein
出席。晚宴上，缅甸中华总商会在晚宴 上宣布拨款2000万元缅币（约2万新 币 ）作为对仰光省教育发展基金。为 表达对于促进中缅商界关系的诚意， 本会领导在即席商议后，也踊跃向仰 光省政府捐助2万新元，资助当地贫困 孩子的教育。
举行会议，听取投资环境和潜在商机 等资讯。另外，考察团也和曼德勒政 府机构举行会谈，了解曼德勒的旅游 业发展情况。
考察团在缅甸的行程除了包含访 问和考察活动外，也和缅甸业界机构
在仰光省总理Phyo Min Thein（中）的见证下，蔡其生会长（右二）代表本会与缅甸中华总商会的吴继垣会长（左二）签订友好合作备忘 录，希望促进双边的联系与合作关系。
捐赠2万新元资助仰光省贫困孩童教育 蔡其生会长率领36人考察团出访 缅甸，探索当地的商业和投资机会，同 时与缅甸政府部门、企业家、工商业团 体负责人举行交流会谈。 考察团于11月7日抵达缅甸，缅甸 中华总商会为本会考察团举行欢迎晚 宴，并邀请仰光省总理Phyo Min Thein 出席。晚宴上，缅甸中华总商会在晚宴 上宣布拨款2000万元缅币(约2万新 币)作为对仰光省教育发展基金。为表 达对于促进中缅商界关系的诚意，本 会代表在即席商议后，也踊跃向仰光 省政府捐助2万新元，资助当地贫困孩 子的教育。 考察团在缅甸的行程除了包含访 问和考察活动外，也和缅甸业界机构 举行会议，听取投资环境和潜在商机 等资讯。另外，考察团也和曼德勒政 府机构举行会谈，了解曼德勒的旅游 业发展情况。
华商焦点
In the Lead
09
11月8日 11月7日 代表团抵达仰光后出席了由KBZ集团安排的午 宴，接着前往新加坡—缅甸职业培训学院 (SMVTI) 参观。SMVTI是新加坡和缅甸政府联合成立的培 训学院，专门培训工程和酒店业人才。学院副校长 Myo Thida博士为团员们介绍SMVTI的运作并带领团 员们到学院各个设施参观。团员们也与新加坡驻缅 甸大使进行对话。晚上，代表团参加了缅甸中华总 商会 (MCCCI) 主办的联系晚宴，仰光省总理U Phyo Min Thein也出席晚宴并为“仰光的经济展望”投资 说明会致欢迎词。在Phyo Min Thein总理的见证下， 本会与缅甸中华总商会签订了友好合作备忘录，以 协助和鼓励会员在经贸方面的合作。
代表团礼貌拜会了缅甸工商联合 会 (UMFCCI)，随后由Myanmar Mayson Industries Co Ltd创办人David Teo带领代 表团参观其面包厂，并与团员分享身为新 加坡人在缅甸20年的创业经验。
11月9日 代表团与缅甸投资委员会 (MIC) 举行会议，针对外国 企业在缅甸的注册、进出口限制等事项进行交流。下午，代 表团飞往曼德勒，与曼德勒地区工商会 (MRCCI) 举行联系 晚宴。
11月10日 代表团前往曼德勒工业一号区，参访了两间 公司——Good Brothers Machineries Co Ltd，一 家农用拖拉机和运输卡车的制造商，及Myanmar May Kaung Wood Based Industry Co Ltd——一 家专门生产木材家具、镶木地砖等木材产品的公 司。晚上，代表团参加了由缅北中华总商会主办 的晚宴，和50名受邀出席的缅北中华总商会会员 进行联系。
考察团共进午餐。
11月11日 考察团于曼德勒工业区考察 。
代表团前往Capital Diamond Star Group 旗下的子公司Lluvia Ltd，参观这家从事面粉 加工和分销业务的公司。下午，代表团到缅甸 的前首都Amarapura观光，浏览世界上最长 的柚木桥－乌本桥 (U Bein Bridge)。代表团也 参观了一家手工艺术中心和织布厂。傍晚，本 会特别宴请Asian Chinlone Federation财务主 任Pyae Phyo Aung博士和Aye Aye Khaing 公司董事Yamin Kay Khaing女士，讨论曼 德勒的潜在商机。
华商焦点
10
In the Lead
马来西亚贸工部长 慕斯达法莅访 马来西亚国际贸易与工业部拿督斯里慕斯达法部长莅访总商会，针对两国商界关注 的多项课题进行交流。 会之邀踊跃组团参加110周年会庆 活动，显示两国商团与商会的友好 关系。 在回应中，拿督斯里慕斯达法部 长则表示马来西亚国际贸易与工业部 对以下三项课题的关注：跨太平洋战 略经 济 伙伴关系中小企业在 亚 细安 的发展与投资前景；以及新马两地关 卡的拥挤和堵塞问题。他对“亚细安 2025愿景”充满期待，并表示希望通 过新马公共部门领导人联合研讨会、 新马公务员友谊赛以及马来西亚推行 的亚细安学生实习计划等，进一步推 动亚细安一体化的进程。
刘泰山副会长（左四）赠送总商会110周年纪念特刊《新里程 新篇章》予拿督斯里慕斯 达法部长（右四）。
马 来西亚国 际 贸易与工 业部 拿 督斯里慕斯达法部长(YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed)于10月19日至20 日访问新加坡。配合此行，在马来西 亚投资发展局(MIDA)新加坡 办 事 处 的安排下，慕斯达法部长于19日莅访 本会并和本会董事进行对话。随行莅 访本会的包括：马来西亚国际贸易与 工业部(MITI)、马来西亚投资发展机 构(MIDA)以及依斯干达区域发展机构 (IRDA) 的官员一行13人。 在 对 话 会上，总 商 会 汇 报了自 2013年与拿督斯里慕斯达法部长对话 后的跟进及所取得的成果：
• 与马来西亚 政 府及其 相关机构密 切 合 作；总商会数 次 带 领 新加坡 企业实地考察依斯干达特区，探寻 商机。 • 总商会在2014年7月设立依斯干达 交流站，目的为进一步促进新加坡 中小企业在依斯干达的业务发展， 并让会员商家通过这个平台，探寻 新的商业良机。交流站迄今拥有超 过100名活跃成员。 • 在柔佛苏丹的见证下，总商会在2015 年与柔佛州中华总商会签署了合作备 忘录，旨为促进新加坡和柔佛州中小 企业之间的商贸合作关系。 • 各州市的马来西亚中华商会应总商
出席对话会的本会代表则根据个 人的营商经历提出了以下各项课题： 马来西亚外籍劳工的政策；马来西亚 国家能源公司的效率；新加坡企业在 马来西亚土地契约更新问题；马来西 亚进出口的税务问题；马来西亚医疗 产业发展、医疗旅游业潜能及相关的 税务及人才资源课题；新马货币兑换 的避险措施 (Currency Hedging)。慕斯 达法部长针对这些问题给予答复，并 同意深入研究有关课题。
狮城经贸
Economic Review
11
逆市稳定经济 转型创建前程 中小企业是我国经济的重要支柱。在大环境波涛汹涌之际，中小企业老板们犹 如逆水行舟，唯有力争上游才能安然靠岸；当更多渔船驶入海域竞相撒网的时 候，唯有智取、创新才能突破重围，航向属于自己的蓝海。总商会在今年5月至7 月间展开的调查显示，中小企业在逆市中并没有大幅度削减人员，发挥了稳定 经济的作用；业者也希望政府能采取更灵活的政策，推动企业创新。总商会期 望有更多的中小企业在经历急浪、疆场砺炼后，能焕发、蜕变成为新一代的智慧 型强盛企业 (Smart and Mighty Enterprises)。 不少人在提到我国中小企业的举 足轻重角色时，都会将连串数据娓娓道 来：在我国18万家企业当中，中小企业 占99%，提供大约70%的就业机会，贡 献超过50%的GDP。换句话说，在全国 360万劳动力人口（包括公民与非公民） 中，约250万人受聘于中小企业。因此，
中小企业在经济发展、社会稳定方面发 挥的作用不容小觑。 有鉴于此，总商会每年都会展开 《中小企业意见调查》，以了解商界的 经营展望及挑战、转型与创新的现状、 对人力课题的反馈、政府援助计划对
企业的帮助，以及企业进军海外的趋 势等。自今年5月中，总商会展开为期2 个半月的调查取样工作，共有708家来 自制造业、建筑业、服务业的企业提供 反馈，中小企业占96.8%。调查结果的 亮点如下：
应对经营成本 上涨压力的措施
经营展望
生产力与创新
87.5%
94%
经营成本 上涨
55.1% 较往年 增加11.4%
48.4% 80%
盈利 下滑
较往年 增加10.6%
积极进行业 务重组、改 变业务模式
运用创新思 维，改善产品 与服务
87.5% 与往年 相近
47.9%
企业已积极 采取措施来 提高生产力
改变业务 和管理模式
较往年增加近 一倍
32.5% 较往年增加近 一倍
从事高 增值业务
狮城经贸
12
Economic Review
10月12日，总商会通过圆桌论坛形式，发布调查结果。论坛主席是蔡其生会长（中），出席的董事会成员有：黄山忠副会长（左三）、刘泰 山副会长（右三）、研究与出版委员会何乃全主席（左二）、工商业委员会黄建铭主席（右二）、李思亮董事（左一）、杨向明董事（右一）。
经营展望：由于经商环境较不明朗， 企业在经营和招聘方面态度都相对谨 慎。经营成本上涨与人力短缺仍是主 要挑战。合规成本对企业造成的压力 获得显著缓解。人力短缺的情况较去 年稍有改善。
政府援助：除了援助计划，企业也期 望政府政策能更灵活、亲商，特别是 在转型过渡期，企业的人力需求与土 地用途会出现调整，因此政策与条规 必须有更大的伸缩性，企业才能灵活 应对。
企业转型与创新：更多企业进行业务 重组和转型，改变经营模式。但是，采 用自动化、科技化的企业比例有所减 少。在创新方面，超过半数的商家认为 他们面对以下挑战：资金短缺、难以 找到合适的合作伙伴；此外，中小企业 在吸引合格的本地人才以推展创新项 目上也面对困难。因此，企业希望政府 能为他们提供一些实质援助，包括：让 中小企业更容易申请援助计划来资助 创新项目，及协助企业寻找合适的合 作伙伴与顾问。
在总结报告中，总商会向政府反映商 家诉求，并提呈四项实质建议：
人力课题：多数中小企业在逆市中不 裁减本地员工，但对人力的需求已经 放缓。值得关注的一点是，员工技能与 教育水平和企业的需求之间出现错配 现象。在劳动队伍缩减、教育水平提 高的前提下，中小企业必须跟上经济 发展的速度，同步转型，才能吸引到所 需要的员工——包括能帮助企业推动 创新项目的人才。 进军海外：有意在未来三年内进军海 外市场的企业百分比稍微下跌。马来 西亚、中国、印尼仍是最受中小企业青 睐的海外市场，而缅甸的巨大潜能也 越来越被看好。
第一、 推出更灵活的政策、致力协 助中小企业转型和创新；避免按照个 别政府部门所必须达成的绩效指标去 推动企业转型； 第二、 让商团更好地发挥职能， 引领行业转型。政府应提供财务援 助，让商团能根据行业需求，推展相 关的项目，惠及中小企业（特别是传统 行业）； 第三、 创建全国性的基础设施和平 台，让中小企业服务供应商在共享的平 台上处理来自政府机构的订单。这有助 中小企业加速采纳资信科技方案； 第四、 加强宣导工作，让中小企业善 用自贸协定，把握区域化带来的商机， 特别是亚细安经济共同体(AEC)、一带 一路、太平洋伙伴关系协定(TPP)带来 的契机。
总商会已经把 总结 报告提 呈 给相关 的政府部门，作为制定2017年度财政 预算案的参考资料，希望其中的反馈 和建 议能获得政 府的重视 和采纳。 （文\许彬彬）
“为了更好地协助中小 企业转型和创新，总商 会呼吁政府在制定策略 时从商家的角度出发并 具备灵活性，也要支持 商团引领行业转型。此 外，海事业对我国经济 至关重要，这类企业已 掌握领域专项知识和技 能，一旦这些公司倒闭， 恐怕会造成知识链断 裂。因此，政府在这些 公司进行重组融资时， 应当机立断地出重手援 助，避免相关业者出现 骨牌式倒闭。 ——总商会蔡其生会长
运筹帷幄
Corporate Strategies
13
Being interconnected in a Smart Nation By: Fiona Hu
Like it or not, the push towards being a Smart Nation is well on its way to being realised, although it may be some time yet before people, or businesses, can maximise its benefits.
Back then, in the dinosaur age
Increasingly, we are being caught up in situations where daily objects which were previously “dumb” and manufactured for a singular purpose have now been issued powers beyond belief. Twenty years ago, could we ever have imagined that our phones could become our walking encyclopaedia (through access to the Internet), our alarm clock, our telephone directory of contacts, our messaging centre (through Whatsapp, WeChat and similar chat platforms), function as a powerful camera, be a pedometer, and literally loads of other applications? This is the most common example but probably the most universally-used. Woe betide those who lose their smartphones, for it equates to the loss of much valued data and one’s connectivity to the world. Getting a grip on IoT
Welcome now to the fundamentals that lie behind Singapore’s vision of becoming a Smart Nation – the formidable Internet of Things (IoT). Fortune magazine describes IoT as
adding Internet connectivity to formerly “dumb” or unconnected devices like lampposts and traffic lights, enabling them to communicate with users and other devices. Elaborating on IoT, a McKinsey report says that “The Internet of Things refers to the networking of physical objects through the use of embedded sensors, actuators, and other devices that can collect or transmit information about the objects.” McKinsey cites examples in the consumer market which include smart watches, fitness bands, and homesecurity systems. As for the B2B market, it cites sensor-embedded production equipment, and shipping and storage containers. These devices are networked through computer systems and can generate an enormity of data. Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) adds that IoT refers to “everyday objects that can be read, recognised, located, given an address and controlled via the Internet.” Of course these can include everything from electronic devices and vehicles to food packaging and clothing.
The widespread impact
Starting from home invasion to the office environment and the manufacturing sector and to the public domain of logistics and healthcare, there are endless ramifications as to how IoT would shape our world. Most importantly, it means that by connecting all these devices and having sensors that gather a massive amount of data, the data mining processes that ensue can bring about meaningful insights to improve lives. Everything can then be registered, tracked or monitored accordingly. A simple surfing exercise through the Internet uncovered some mindboggling statistics, put together by RS Components of the United Kingdom. To understand the magnitude of the impact, we turn back the clock to the year 1990. In 1990, there were 300,000 desktop computers connected to the Internet. Ten years later, in 2000, there were 300 million desktop computers connected to the Internet. More astronomical figures follow.
运筹帷幄
14
With mobile phones becoming everyman’s coveted device, there are now, in 2016, 2 billion mobile phones connected to the Internet. And by virtue of extrapolation, by 2020 this would take place: •
1.3 billion kettles, refrigerators, freezers, TVs, thermostats, security cameras, lights, smoke detectors and other THINGS IN YOUR HOME connected to the Internet;
•
3.5 billion navigation systems, in-car entertainment systems and other THINGS IN YOUR CAR connected to the Internet;
•
411 million wrist bands, shoes, glasses, watches, sports socks, clothing and other WEARABLE THINGS connected to the Internet;
•
646 million heart rate monitors, body implants, pill bottles, blood pressure monitors, skin patches and other THINGS IN THE HOSPITAL connected to the Internet; and
•
9.7 billion buildings, street lights, traffic lights, water pipes, parking meters, pollution monitors and other THINGS IN YOUR CITY connected to the Internet.
Corporate Strategies
Risk factors
The more interconnected we are, the more vulnerable we shall be to the infiltration of malware or other vicious hackers which threaten our systems and even our lives. Watching episodes of CSI: Cyber is not all fiction when you see people wreaking havoc on hospital devices. It can happen in the real world. More and more data is being plugged into our computers, smartphones, networks and systems; therefore we need to exercise much greater vigilance in guarding against malicious attacks. Cyber security is crucial in this day and
This spells out the future of how the IoT is going to change things around.
Delegation stopping over to visit Advantech, a leading brand in Intelligent Systems in Taiwan.
age. When Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the Smart Nation back in November 24 2014, he stressed the urgency of fortifying our cyber security to protect against cyberattacks not only in government systems but in other critical systems including telecoms, banking and energy. With a multiple of devices connected now, as IoT continues to take off in a big way, more areas need extra surveillance. Perhaps a very huge business opportunity lies in how to evolve security measures that would preserve data integrity in the best possible way and not be an encumbrance to users.
运筹帷幄
Corporate Strategies
15
On the second day, visits were arranged to Innovative DigiTech-Enabled Applications & Services Institute (IDEAS), which applies a systematic approach to innovation called Service Experience Engineering (SEE); GRC Cloud, offering an online marketplace and cloud service delivery platform for SAAS and connected products; and Aopen, a major provider of commercial products and applied business solutions of IoT and cloud.
Council (TAITRA), the foremost nonprofit trade promotion organisation in Taiwan. After the seminar and lunch, two other visits were arranged: Protech, which focuses on industrial PC development, and which has developed a new hardware and software application focused on self-order and self-check system for the retail sector; and Noodoe, a Smart restaurant experience workshop.
Trying out Vismile’s 3D virtual fitting room.
Plugging into IoT and E-commerce Strategies in Taipei
The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT), or simply put, the networked connection of physical objects, has led to many breakthroughs in the retail and F&B industries. With the objective of encouraging member companies to explore how IoT, e-commerce and Smart Retail has transformed Taiwan’s retail and F&B industries, and thereafter look into ways to implement sustainable IoT and e-commerce strategies for their respective businesses, the Chamber organised a 5-day IoT Smart Retail and eCommerce Study Trip to Taipei on July 3-8. The 19 participants of this mid-year study trip came from F&B, retail, healthcare, furniture, printing, education, property management and IT-related industries. Day 1 of the well-planned programme saw participants visit the Institute for Information Industry (III), the second largest NGO for ICT development in Taiwan; Vismile, a highly innovative firm offering futuristic services, and developer of the world’s first 3D virtual fitting room; and Advantech, one of the world’s largest industrial PC manufacturers and a leading brand in Intelligent Systems in Taiwan.
On Day 3, participants were brought to Benq Guru, which provides a Smart Store total solution that combines digital signage solution with cloud management software and integrates the latest O2O application for retail customers; La Fresh demo site at Le BledOR beer restaurant to see how POS can be configured for specific business needs; and Taiwan Internet & E-Commerce Association (TiEA), the only association in Taiwan that comprises most private sector players in Taiwan’s Internet and e-commerce industries. The visit to TiEA also incorporated a Taiwan-Singapore E-commerce Seminar. On Day 4, the final day of the programme proper, the Chamber jointly organised a Taiwan-Singapore Smart Retail IoT Seminar and Lunch with the Taiwan External Trade Development
Sources: Transcript of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s speech at Smart Nation launch on November 24 2014 “How the Internet of Things will Change your life “ – RS Components Ltd “Say Hello to the Internet of Things” – Committee on the Future Economy, Challenges, April 7 2016 “Preparing IT Systems and organisations for the Internet of Things” by Johannes Deichmann, Matthias Roggendorf, and Dominik Wee, McKinsey & Company, November 2015
16
华商焦点
In the Lead
Preserving Wealth for the Next Generation By: Woo See Ann
In the third edition of the family business sharing session co-hosted by UBS and SCCCI on November 15 – “Family Business Succession and Preserving Wealth for the Next Generation” – a pair of speakers shared their insights from their business journey and discussed a range of topics including their personal experience in the business, succession, and the role of the family office.
(From left) Ng Aik Ping, Director of UBS (Family Advisory Asia Pacific); Alexandra Lim, Director of UBS; Andy Lim, Executive Director of JL Family Office; Charles Ho, SCCCI’s Chairman of the Research Publications Committee; Rod Lim, Owner of Lim Chee Guan Pte Ltd; Eddie Gan, Managing Director of UBS.
华商焦点
In the Lead
17
Rod Lim, Owner of Lim Chee Guan Ltd
Andy Lim Executive Director, JL Family Office
Lim Chee Guan, founded in 1938, is one of the oldest and most famous Bak Kwa brands in Singapore.
JL Family Office (“JLFO”) is the investment holding group of companies founded by Andy Lim’s father, John Lim, the Group Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of ARA Asset Management Limited. ARA is a premier integrated real estate fund manager in Asia which manages total assets of S$30 billion as of December 2015.
EXPOSING THE CHILDREN TO THE BUSINESS FROM YOUNG
TAKING OVER THE FAMILY BUSINESS IS NO EASY TASK
Learning the trade from his father from young, Rod shared his observation of the hard work his father had invested into the business, which cultivated his interest. He confessed being apprehensive about taking over, quoting a Chinese saying “创业难、守业更难”. It is understandable, given that taking over a business is no easy task. Nonetheless, he concluded that he had accomplished what he once feared, and was happy with the job that he was now doing. Being the eldest son, he went on to take over the reins of the family business. Andy, on the other hand, had no clue initially of what his father’s business entailed, as his father deemed the business to be too complicated for him. Only after proceeding to work as a lawyer did he start to find out what his father actually does; thereafter he became interested to join the business. He agrees that exposing the next generation from young is important, especially if they are expected to join the family business when they grow up. Sometimes, the problem for the next generation may be that they lack knowledge of the business. They may not necessarily be reluctant to take over.
Working for the family and with the family does pose many challenges. Andy took a slightly different path, taking over the family office, instead of the entire business. One of the difficulties he faced was managing the dual status of being both the son and an employee of his father. “For 30 years, you could always talk back to your father. But suddenly overnight when you go to the board room, you cannot. Must keep quiet!” Meanwhile, Alexandra from UBS injected an additional flavour to the discussion by sharing how important succession planning is to the success of the business. She mentioned how transparency and communication in areas like inheritance and allocating responsibilities based on competencies can minimise dispute among the family members. THE “FAMILY” SIDE TO THE BUSINESS
Family businesses are special in the sense that an additional layer of kinship is added to the business aspect. Rod believes that the previous generation’s
father-son relationship, way of communication, and mindset differs greatly from the current generation. He honed in on the concept of “FTQ”, which means using family tradition to drive quality, and in turn, the longevity of the business. Andy commented that the main objective for his business is to keep the family together, what he hopes to achieve using the family office vehicle. He cited some benefits of having this office, including acting as a platform for him and his father to put their system and procedures into place, keeping the family together, and passing on core values to the next generation. “Setting up this family office helps us plan ahead, because we are not thinking about the business. We are thinking about the family.” He uses an example of a French family business which lasted 14 generations and now has 1,400 family members, to reinforce his belief that the family business can last many generations if the right system is in place. Aik Ping from UBS also chipped in to share his professional opinion, explaining that the family office is not a tool to make more money, but is a tool to create a legacy (传承的工具).
华商焦点
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In the Lead
Hearty Ventures through the Least-Travelled Path – A Yunnan Story By: Lee Sin Poh
Following the inspiring footprints of a doctor, traveller, thinker and social entrepreneur, into the rural Yunnan mountains. “Everyone can count the number of seeds in an apple, but only God knows the number of apples in one seed. No matter how little the things we do, they can blossom to many fruits.” With an innate passion to extend help and spread love to the needy, Dr Tan Lai Yong took a less travelled path in his profession. After 10 years of work since his graduation from NUS Medicine in 1985, he and his wife boldly initiated the plans and dreams of their student days
to work with the poor. So he made a bold decision to move together with his wife and one-year-old daughter to China’s Yunnan province. Here in the remote mountainous area of Xishuangbanna prefecture, he was fully devoted to community service for an unexpected 15-year period, and this is where he earned insights of how the poor could be better helped – not only through material and medical support, but more importantly, through all innovations in their ways of living.
Sharing knowledge and ideas, not only prescriptions Riding on his profession and training barefoot doctors – farmers who received minimal basic medical and paramedical training and worked in rural villages in China – has been Lai Yong’s key mission when he first arrived in Xishuangbanna in 1996. In those remote villages, barefoot doctors could hardly eke a living by being full-time doctors due to low wages and the loss of the farm income. Therefore, Lai
华商焦点
Yong soon found that it is important not only to impart his medical knowledge to the doctors, but also to ensure they could make a living with this profession, so as to establish sustainable medical services in the region. During the era where communist ideology was still prevalent, his emphasis of making medical service profitable once triggered some ideological-shock moments. “When I asked them why they chose to become barefoot doctors, the government officers answered very readily, saying that it is to serve the people. I say, ‘No! you serve the people but you need to make money, because if you don’t make money in your clinic it will soon collapse or become corrupt.’ So I teach them how to keep costs low and make a profit… The government officers would then just introduce me as ‘Dr Tan, sent by a church in Singapore to serve the people in the true spirit of the communist party’.” Given the challenging environment and very limited resources in the villages, what matters most was not just to help people but figuring out “how” to do so. One of his initiatives was to organise a role-play workshop entitled “Setting Up a Village Clinic using 750 RMB”, getting several groups of participating doctors to list the common diseases in their villages and proceed to buy the relevant medicine and equipment. They would then compare advantages and disadvantages of their treatment plans and costs, to see if they could effectively meet the needs of respective villages. Paradox of development: inequality follows Everyday life in the rural areas deep in Xishuangbanna mountains would be hard to imagine for urban dwellers, and especially in the years when China was just opening up. Lai Yong shared videos of villagers crossing the swift currents of the Nujiang River via steel ropeway, with goods tied onto their bodies – including animals such as goats, as they made their way towards the weekly-held central market for trading activities. As China undergoes rapid development and globalisation, such primitive ways of living will likely be disrupted and followed by widening inequality. Lai Yong raised an example, that if the government were to build a bridge across the river which enables all vehicles to cross it, those who are already wealthy, including
In the Lead
multinational retail conglomerates, would easily benefit as they could bring their goods into the village for sale, but those who bring their goats from remote areas will not come any more, as massproduced goods are always cheaper. The villagers who are edged out, who can no longer buy and sell in the marketplace, will just move further up into the mountain. Lai Yong is always conscious and vigilant of the impact produced by rapid developments in China. “Similarly, if I build a best cardiovascular centre in the mountains, only a person who knows he has the disease will benefit from the new facility, but a poor villager who does not even know he has high blood pressure would not benefit at all. A sophisticated centre has very little influence on the latter. That is the paradox of development. We cannot stop developing but we have to find ways to overcome such inequality.” Schooling as an adventure in mountains and forests Apart from his entrepreneurship aimed at improving medical systems, Lai Yong also fulfilled “corporate social responsibility” in his own way by planting trees around the villages to help raise farm income and also reduce soil erosion. However, he once entered a leprosy village with the intention of planting flowers and walnuts there, but the gesture was rejected by the leprosy patients. They thought their lives were tough enough; having flowers would do nothing good for them but cause more hassle. But after a while, he was welcomed to plant in the village again. By bringing his children to the leprosy village – a socially-quarantined area, he managed to gain the trust of the villagers who had not seen a child for decades. One might wonder what had driven Lai Yong to embark on this arduous journey together with his family. However, he never regretted taking this less-travelled path. Having raised his children in the midst of nature, instead of in the city, has instilled in them the sense of curiosity and insatiable desire to learn till this day. Going to school was an adventure for his children. Once, an elephant used to wait for them on their way to school, just for a peanut or apple from them. “I think the elephant was doing me a favour.” Lai Yong is also always extremely grateful to his wife, who gave up a bright career in academia and PhD studies to join him
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in Yunnan, and his mother who gave him the freedom to decide on his own career paths. “When I told my mother that I am going to study medicine in NUS, she said something which profoundly affected me. ‘You are my son and always my son. I don’t have to go to pasar (wet market) or wedding dinner to tell people my son is a doctor.’ What tremendous freedom she had given us! …When my wife and I went to Xishuangbanna, we thought we would stay there for three years, but never thought we would stay on for 15 years.” Education and job creation as future ways to help the needY Despite his fruitful achievements in Yunnan, Lai Yong never stops thinking of new ways to contribute to the underprivileged poor, upon returning to Singapore. Grounded on his experiences in Yunnan and in NUS academia, he argues that education and job creation are two ways to resolve inequality and other disruptions of globalisation. For education, he suggests that students need not only be academically good but build good relationships and innovate with new ideas. Companies can also build long-term relationships with student interns by truly unleashing their potential and providing useful career guidance, rather than only gaining short-term benefits from them. Having established profitable and sustainable clinics in Yunnan, he also saw the need of creating more engaging and meaningful jobs for those disrupted by global trends. For instance, he suggested that Yunnan villagers could ride on the advantage of their fresh vegetables to secure an edge in the market, should they be disrupted by retail conglomerates entering the rural place. What they need is a branding of the products so as to gain trust of the market. Lai Yong’s community service efforts have been widely recognised by Chinese and Singapore governments. He was awarded the Friendship Award for Foreign Experts from China, Singapore International Foundation (SIF) Award and the Singapore MILK Fund (Mainly I Love Kids) Award.
This article is based on Dr Tan Lai Yong’s sharing at the YEN Emerge Cruise on September 22 and his book Biting the Bamboo.
中小企业
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Focus On SMEs
Bringing traditional Chinese snacks to greater heights after 88 years By: Lim Cheng Wei
Founded by William Tan Yew Liang’s grandfather in 1928, Hock Lian Huat today not only supplies traditional Chinese snacks to 80 per cent of hawkers in Singapore, but also actively innovates its products and ventures into other business models of franchising.
Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Industry Pte Ltd is a member of the Chamber, and it participated in SCCCI-NUS Survey on Innovation Effort of SMEs conducted in 2016. What LED you to pursue innovation?
I had barely completed my first year of secondary school when I joined the company in the early 1980s. At that time, everything is very basic, there was no proper stock-taking, and no systematic process in running the business. We relied on manpower for everything as all
products were hand-made. I believe there is a need to innovate for a traditional business to remain competitive. I am always open to outside ideas and advice. Despite being occupied with the business, I regularly attended seminars and courses to acquire knowledge, insights and inspirations that I can inject into the business. Partly due to my openness to outside ideas and advice, in 2011, I was fortunate to have met a consultant who used to work at an established foodrelated company in Singapore. Since then, we have benefited much from her professional advice and help. Can you share how you innovate your business model?
Traditionally, we have been supplying to the hawkers and then broadened to cover supermarkets, restaurants, caterers and food courts. Apart from these channels, we have also been experimenting with the newer platforms, including through e-commerce and social media. While it is still early days before we reap significant sales results from these new platforms,
these are our attempts to get actual experiences and market feedback, and get ourselves ready for the future. We are also innovating our food products so that they can be “ready-tocook” and “ready-to-eat” through retail outlets with small footprint. Once we are successful with this concept and product development, we can venture into another business model of franchising our food product business. Can you share how you innovate your products/services?
Although ngoh hiang and prawn crackers are commonly viewed as traditional snacks, we have been actively creating new fusion ways and recipes to demonstrate how people can eat them. For instance, ngoh hiang pasta, ngoh hiang pizza, ngoh hiang sushi, and ngoh hiang pies. These refreshing creations have opened up new interpretations of how people can eat ngoh hiang. When we presented these new concepts at major tradeshows, for example at the Food & Hotel Asia 2016, we received overwhelming response and enquiries from many trade visitors.
中小企业
In fact, some of these new creations are developed by our fresh hires who joined the company’s R&D Department after they graduated from local polytechnics specialising in food science. Some of them had even previously interned at our company, and had developed a good impression of us. Can you share how you innovate your operating processes?
We started to automate in a small way in the 1980s when we acquired some basic machineries like meat mincer and vegetable shredder. Later in 2000, we purchased larger machines like mixers to increase our capacity. We had a breakthrough in 2011. With the help from our consultant and government grants, we moved on to purchase a multifunction machine. The consultant gave us good practical advice, and we were able to purchase the machine at a very competitive price from a Malaysia vendor. Automation and process improvement enabled us to be more systematic, achieve higher productivity and improve the work environment. We also rely on less manpower to do more. Production cost used to be 56 per cent of our revenue and it eroded our profit margin. Through process improvements, this has come down to 46 per cent. One major outcome of our process improvement is that we recently passed the rigorous audit by Marina Bay Sands, thereby qualifying us to be its supplier. This is a huge milestone for the company. How did you encourage innovation in your company?
We meet formally every quarter, and it is during these quarterly meetings that we give out bonuses and rewards to staff. I think this is quite an unusual practice. But with this approach, our staff are more driven to embark on new ideas, especially if they can see near-term results. Over time, our staff are more
Focus On SMEs
willing to share feedback on ways to improve their work as they know this can help the company grow. What are the top challenges you face in innovation? How did you overcome them?
For an SME, one of the greatest challenges to embark on innovation often lies with the business owner himself. He must be willing to step out of his comfort zone, and be open to outside ideas. In order to persuade workers to embrace new ideas, he must also take the lead in the innovation process. Another concern when deciding to innovate is the uncertainty in the investment returns. However, the market environment is changing and we need to adapt our business. We can start in a smaller way, observe the outcomes and adjust. For example, this is the approach for our experiments with e-commerce and social media. Have you benefited from government support in your innovation effort?
We have benefited from a number of government schemes when we embarked on different aspects of innovation. For our automation effort, we used the Capability Development Grant from SPRING. We used the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme and the Innovation and Capability Voucher for staff training and equipment purchase. To refresh our logo and branding, we used BrandPact from SPRING.
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The greatest challenge of embracing innovation lies with the business owner himself. Nothing is impossible after one is willing to step out of one’s comfort zone.” – William Tan, MD, Hock Lian Huat Foodstuff Pte Ltd
A part of this re-branding also involved developing a new strategy for us to venture into the B-to-C market where our products are now sold at the supermarkets under our retail brand, “Gim’s Heritage”. While most students are more interested to join MNCs and large companies, we have also taken advantage of the SME Talent Programme from SPRING to hire interns and fresh polytechnic graduates. However, I hope that there can be more outreach to SMEs conducted in Mandarin. This will greatly help the group of Chinese-speaking SME bosses to more fully understand the nature of the various government schemes, and truly maximise the usage.
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中小企业
Focus On SMEs
Greendot: Creating a better world with every meal By: Samantha Lee
Justin and Yong Hong, the two founders of Greendot, seemed to have chosen the path of entrepreneurship instead of succeeding their respective family business. But is this really so? With no experience in running a business or the F&B industry, what motivated Justin and Yong Hong to take a leap of faith to create Greendot? When I first met Justin and Yong Hong, I was impressed by how much emphasis these two young men placed on people（人）and heart（心）. Starting Greendot wasn’t just because of the market opportunity or profit. It was for a greater mission – to bring a positive impact to the world. Apart from the focus on innovation, they placed much emphasis on empathising and understanding their target audience, namely their customers and employees. While most F&B would arrange for the more senior employees as backend kitchen staff, Greendot ensures that there is at least one senior employee for work at the front of house. “Senior employees are actually very warm and friendly and we hope to create a family experience for our customers when they step into the outlet, exactly like being warmly greeted by your parents or grandparents when you reach home,” explained Justin. In their discussions on Greendot’s future, Justin and Yong Hong headed towards the franchise model and both agreed that their franchisees had to share the same values, vision and dream. Their aim was to get people with experience on board to help develop and grow the business. They saw franchisees as their business partners; they were also more than willing to go the extra mile for them because ultimately, it is all for Greendot.
中小企业
Both of you started the business when you were students. What motivated you to do so? Was it sparked by something that you saw, or by a certain conviction that you both share?
A few factors motivated me to start Greendot. Firstly, having grown up in a family which eats vegetarian food, I am aware of the very limited choices available. Moreover, vegetarian stalls are always tucked away at inconspicuous corners. Thus, my dream since young has been to create a place for vegetarians to eat healthily, happily and with pride. That’s how Greendot came about. Secondly, Greendot was also created to change the impression of vegetarian food and make healthy eating more accessible to people. Greendot’s motto is to “Eat Green, Feel Good”. We strive to provide simple, convenient and affordable healthy food using fresh ingredients to value add to the needs of consumers to have a more green and balanced diet. I studied business and have always been interested in business and management. So, when Justin approached me to start Greendot together, I agreed readily. Frankly, I did not start out with much knowledge about vegetarian food, but I experienced how going meat-free once or twice a week made a positive impact to my health. I wanted to help educate people on the importance of eating healthily and Greendot is the bridge to help people take the first step towards a healthy diet and lifestyle. This is also why we started out from school canteens, because we believed that the concept of healthy eating should be cultivated from a young age. Both sets of parents are running their own businesses. What was their reaction when you decided to start Greendot?
There were a lot of misunderstandings in between and it took a very long time for my parents to understand my
Focus On SMEs
rationale for creating Greendot. My father runs a vegetarian product manufacturing and distribution company and they were at a comfortable stage of keeping the business status quo. They were not willing to push the boundaries, but I didn’t want the family business to just remain as a family business. I know that I wouldn’t be able to change much if I joined the family business, but Greendot would be a good stepping stone to execute my plans for the family business. I saw Greendot as the transformation of the family business, as an avenue to reach out to new consumers, create a brand and expand our family business. It is actually a very interesting process; I could see how rational conversation and discussion could turn very emotional and personal because my parents couldn’t envision the plan I had for Greendot and the family business. But they are beginning to see where I am coming from and are more receptive to my decisions and suggestions. My parents are in the toys distribution business and I did think of joining the family business after graduation, but since starting Greendot, I never looked back. I think parents are actually more concerned and worried about us, rather than trying to be a wet blanket. They saw how tiring this business was. With the very long working hours, my mother doesn’t even get to see me on weekends. Although they strongly believe in the necessity of hard work, all parents dote on their children. Initially, although they do say things like: “If it is too overwhelming and tiring, then just forget it and come back to the family business,” they are not saying it because they did not think I could succeed. It only pains them to see us working so hard; it was their way of expressing their concern by letting us know that there is an alternative, another backup plan available. However, when they saw my perseverance and that Greendot is getting on track, they became less anxious and more willing to just let me be.
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Our parents support us mentally. For example, when Greendot just started, my mother got the chef from her restaurant to help us with the recipes. It is not easy to be good friends and business partners at the same time. How do you manage this relationship?
There are bound to be disagreements along the way as we may view things differently but I think for a partnership to work, there are three key points: Firstly, partners should share similar values and lifestyle in order to work together. While Justin and I have different characters, we share a similar lifestyle and values, such as valuing our family, human relations, and giving back to the society. Secondly, partners need to respect that each person has his own expertise and forte. For example, Justin is good at marketing, while I am stronger with numbers. So Justin and I have agreed that in areas we are responsible for, we will have the liberty to make the final decisions because we know what will work better. The other party will then support the decision and help to work towards the direction. Thirdly, it is important that we constantly learn from each other and go for upgrading together to achieve growth. Respecting each other is very important. We have known each other since secondary school, so we constantly remind ourselves not to take each other for granted. Also, we do have two other directors on board who can help mediate the tension and disagreement between us if we share very diverse views on major decisions. Being very experienced businessmen themselves, they are able to give very useful advice which helps us in making the final decision. Alternatively, if the leader decides on a direction, then all of us would put our hearts and minds to work towards that direction.
中小企业
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Focus On SMEs
At the end of the day, like what my mum always says: “Is this decision right for the company? Are you thinking for the interest of the company? Do you have the commitment and passion to execute what you have decided? If yes, then go ahead.” The F&B sector has a growing hunger for staff. Are you concerned about attracting the right people to drive Greendot forward? What are your strategies?
There is no lack of staff out there, but it all boils down to the culture and sense of belonging. Many of them, even the senior employees, are willing to go the extra mile for the company. We firmly believe in a close-knit family-like team and culture. We have monthly bonding and hold staff promotion and awards ceremony on a regular basis to show appreciation to our employees. We embark on corporate social responsibility projects to educate our employees on the importance of having a meaningful work life and how your work can bring value to people. We also try to strike a balance between employees of different nationalities, ensuring that they get the chance to bond and work with one another for better mutual understanding. Probation is very important to us because this is to maintain the quality of our employees and to goal keep our staff culture. We talk about expectations with our staff to ensure that everyone is on the same page. We always make sure of catering to the needs and expectations of the different group of employees. For example, the core day-to-day working team is made up largely of aunties and mothers who seek work-life balance; thus we have flexible working hours to cater to their needs. To attract younger talents, we have the Entrepreneur Development Programme to expose them to the F&B industry and hopefully change the younger generation’s mindset towards the F&B industry.
Yong Hong (left) and Justin (right) co-founded Greendot during their school days.
Whether it’s HR, marketing, accounts or business development, our franchisees also provide very valuable suggestions and inputs to bring the company forward. Where do you see Greendot five years down the road?
While we are planning to expand the business by having more outlets, we also hope that Greendot can be more dynamic and not just onedimensional with brick and mortar outlets. We definitely have plans to move online and to provide delivery, thus we are now very focused on nurturing the right team to help us bring Greendot forward. Greendot is one pillar of my family business. I am now passing on the leadership of Greendot to Yong Hong and moving back to my family business to help integrate the whole business. We will need to start relooking into the business model, into things such as ready-to-eat food to grow Greendot. I am also looking into R&D, to develop healthier vegetarian products for our Greendot customers. While Singapore is a good market to start a business, it is also a very small market. So we do have plans to bring Greendot out of Singapore.
Most important lesson learnt throughout this journey of entrepreneurship?
I feel that this journey of entrepreneurship is also a journey of self-discovery where I really came to understand myself as person. A lot of challenges are faced because of the flaws in your own character; by realising my own weakness, I was able to work around those flaws and find the right balance to bring the business forward. You need to have a very strong reason before you really set foot on entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is not all glamorous. For four whole years, we didn’t have a proper office, we were basically holed up in the kitchen all day, cutting, cooking and serving in T-shirt and shorts. So you really need to have the vision, passion and dream in order to persevere. If you are just going for the money and the glam, then you are likely to give up halfway through. For us, starting Greendot was never about the money. It’s about making a positive impact to the world, to change the world one delicious green meal at a time. We will continue to work towards this dream.
商会时讯
Chamber Community
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CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS SINgapore’s Peace and Security in the Workplace For employers, letting their male Singaporean and Permanent Resident (PR) staff go for their annual National Service (NS) stint is part and parcel of doing business here in Singapore. However, there are some which go the extra mile to support their NSman employees with initiatives to enable them to succeed in both their work and NS commitments. An example is Fong’s Engineering & Manufacturing Pte Ltd, one of Singapore’s leading high precision engineering companies. Recognising that the growth of Singapore’s economy hinges on the country’s peace and security has led Fong’s Engineering Pte Ltd to place great emphasis on creating a pro-NS working environment for its NSman employees. They believe in showing support for their NSman employees who greatly contribute to Singapore’s defence. Peter Toh, the company’s Senior Sales/ Marketing Manager, said, “NS has been, and will continue to be fundamental to our national defence and in maintaining Singapore’s peace and stability. As an organisation, we wanted to play our part by enabling our NSmen to fulfil their NS obligations with peace of mind.” Two years ago, Fong’s Engineering put in place NS-friendly policies to help their NSman employees better balance their work and NS obligations. The engineering firm readily provides time-off for those who have to attend In-Camp Trainings (ICTs), Individual Physical Proficiency Tests (IPPT) or Open Mobilisation exercises. This time-off policy has been highly appreciated by their employees, who could then focus on their NS commitments with peace of mind.
Roy Fong, Executive Director of Fong’s Engineering & Manufacturing Pte Ltd, receiving the NS Advocate Award for Small and Medium Enterprises from Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman in August 2016.
“It is great that our company has in place a supportive, pro-NS culture. Whenever I have to go for my ICT, I feel reassured knowing that my work is well taken care of by my colleagues,” said Jack Fong, Programme Planner. He is an NPI Lead from 731SIR Battalion. Apart from time-off, Fong’s Engineering also places great emphasis on their NSman employees’ health and fitness. Not only does it encourage them to take part in the Army Half Marathon, it also goes a step further by subsidising half of the registration fees. Further, the company also organises weekly runs for their employees so that they can stay fit. Through these initiatives, the company hopes to create avenues for its employees to maintain their fitness levels, and reinforce the importance of staying fit. Fong’s Engineering’s strong support for NS and Total Defence has also seen them drawing up plans to further support NS. One such idea is to award NSman employees who successfully complete their NS obligations with bonus
points that will go towards their Annual Performance Appraisal Review. SCCCI President Thomas Chua hopes that more companies would join in on the journey to support NS. “With Singapore’s economic success being built on a globalised economy, a strong defence is important to safeguarding our sovereignty. The Chamber recognises this, and has been lending its full support to strengthen Singapore’s defence. The NS Mark accreditation scheme is a catalyst for companies to support our NSmen, and we hope that more will come on board this movement,” says Mr Chua. For going the extra mile, Fong’s Engineering was awarded the NS Advocate Award for Small and Medium Enterprises at the Total Defence Awards 2016 dinner. Businesses which are interested to apply for the NS Mark or NS Mark (Gold) can do so at www.nsmark.sg.